Power hands
Students of Classes II to V of Delhi Public School (DPS), Megacity, were given a special task in their Socially Useful Productive Work (SUPW) class — they had to create
cutouts of hands with different kinds of paper and adorn them.
In a month, they made hands of varied shapes and colours. Some turned them into expressive faces, mandalas and pieces of folk art. Some had quotes written
on them.
What the students did not know then was that they were making pieces of decoration for the school's Durga Puja celebrations. The Puja and festivities held on the school grounds on September 25 and 26 drew over 10,000 students, teachers and parents per day.
The theme was "hands" — a symbol of creation, connection and courage.
The backdrop of the pandal also had handprints of students, teachers, parents and even the school helpers and administrative staff members. Each hand told a story of resilience and humanity.
The school also represented the nine manifestations of the Goddess (Nava Durga) through various decorations and creative efforts.
The guests included MLA Tapas Chatterjee and actor Prosenjit Chatterjee. Also present were principal Tilottama Mallik and academic director Suman Singh Ganguly. Young members of Bodhana Home for special children were also invited. The children received gifts and performed on the occasion.
The pandal was the result of community effort, crafted entirely from recycled materials. The idol was created by the school's art teacher Sourav Ganguly, using discarded hose pipes.
The event was a cultural, spiritual and educational experience for all. Besides, there was phuchka and chaat for the students on Day I and khichdi on the next day.
According to a newcomer to the school, Priyasha Mahapatra of Class XI, what stood out most was the team effort.
"The Durga Puja at DPS, Megacity, is an occasion where devotion and creativity come together in their most vibrant form. Ideated by our magnificent team of teachers and students, this annual celebration has grown into a unique tradition that blends culture, art, music, dance and spiritual fervour. This year’s theme, 'hands', found deep resonance, hands that create, protect, nurture and worship were reflected in every element, from the making of the idols and the pandal to the magnificent decorations and cultural presentations," said the principal.
The plot thickens
A reunion of friends turns awry — a crime novel by Sarojesh Mukerjee, director of The Cambridge School, will be enacted on stage by its students for their annual production on November 21.
Students from Class VIII to Class XII are rehearsing hard, after school, to recreate Rich Man, Poor Man, Beggar Man, Thief. The play will be staged at Uttam Mancha.
The plot is about a group of friends whose reunion spirals into suspicion and tragedy. The students are set to take the audience to a dark world through the two-act psychological drama.
The screenplay is collaboratively written by English teachers Aishwarya Bhattacharya and Mrittika Basu. Set in modern Calcutta, the play opens with the warmth of a reunion among 12 old friends at a farmhouse. Rather than revealing too much of the mystery, the production will keep the audience guessing until the end.
Multimedia projections of text messages and video calls will be used to create a modern tone. The lighting will mirror the emotional shifts — amber hues of nostalgia will give way to stark whites and greys of fear and accusation.
“The play will make you think about how fragile trust can be,” said Rafah Rahman of Class XI, who plays Malati.
"Rehearsals are going on full swing, filling the schools with energy. What sets this production apart is not just its modern storytelling, but the exploration of moral complexity," said the director.
Durga and our demons
Shivaay Beriwala of Birla High School was proud to be part of a skit celebrating the homecoming of Durga.
Giving it a contemporary touch, the skit was also about bullying and overcoming inner conflicts.
"It taught me that I can be brave like Durga and stand up for what's right," said the Class III student.
Shivaay and his classmates from Section A hosted a special assembly to celebrate the homecoming of Durga on September 26. Narrators Alekhya Halder and Aagniz Samanta introduced the theme — victory of good over evil and over the darkness within (fear, doubt and negativity).
The students also presented an enactment of Mahishasurmardini where they invoked the Goddess’s strength to defeat the demon of arrogance and evil within themselves. A dance performance, Nomo Durga, followed.
The showstopper, however, was a skit. It told the story of Aryan, a young boy who stood up for a new classmate facing bullying. Drawing inspiration from Durga’s strength, Aryan overcame his fears and chose kindness over conflict — ultimately transforming not only the bully but also himself.
The use of innovative masks to represent Aryan’s inner voices of good and evil gave the act a creative edge.
In between the performances, the narrators wove their reflections on courage and compassion. The atmosphere reached a crescendo with a group song, Gouri Elo, accompanied by shlokas. Children of Upper Primary played the tabla tarang.
Nursery tots too joined in, gleefully playing the dhak, their laughter echoing through the hall.
And just when the celebration seemed to be at its peak, the teachers took the stage for a dhunuchi naach.
"Durga Puja is not only the worship of the Goddess outside us, but the awakening of the Devi within. This celebration teaches us that true victory lies not just in slaying demons of myth, but in conquering doubt, apathy and division within ourselves. May our children grow to recognise that every act of courage, every spark of creativity and every gesture of kindness is itself a prayer to the Goddess," said headmistress Panchali Chattopadhyay.
Science quiz
Cheers, nail-biting moments and out-of-the-box thinking were the order of the day as the science club of The Future Scholars Academy organised an inter-house quiz on August 2. TFSA-Quizical 2025, held in the school's audiovisual room, commemorated the 164th birth anniversary of Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy.
Students of Classes VI to XI from the four houses — APC Roy, SN Bose, Janaki Ammal and Ramanujan — took part in the event.
The programme began with a tribute to the scientist, highlighting his significant contributions to Indian science and his pivotal role in developing the country's chemical industry. Principal Apala Chakraborty, in her opening address, encouraged students to nurture a spirit of curiosity and innovation.
Vice-principal Rahul De conducted the quiz. Students were asked questions on Indian contributions to science, its scientists and the use of science in everyday life. There were four rounds — General Science, Audio Visual, Live Experiment and Rapid Fire.
Each team consisted of five members who had been selected through preliminary rounds held earlier in the week. The questions were designed to test not only the students' factual knowledge but also their critical thinking and application skills.
The competition was close, with the audience cheering for their respective houses. After several tense moments, Janaki Ammal House emerged the winner, followed by APC Roy House. SN Bose and Ramanujan shared the third spot.
"This is our signature event. Every year, we celebrate the contributions of Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy and other Indian scientists through a quiz. The participants are chosen carefully. It is a learning experience for all," said the principal.
For the youth
Ankush Shaha represented Bhavan’s Gangabux Kanoria Vidyamandir (BGKV) in a fashion show at his school fest. Clad in black dhoti and red kurta, he walked down the ramp, feeling more confident with every step. "The event gave me confidence," said the Class XI student.
Many students got the opportunity to hone their skills and confidence as they took part in the annual inter-school fest, YuvVision 2025, on October 13 and 14. The theme was “Unleash the Spirit, Ignite the Spark”. There were 19 events for 24 participating schools such as Birla High School, Mukundapur, National English School, Baguiati, Abhinav Bharati High School and Delhi Public School, Ruby Park.
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Calcutta, director G.V. Subramanian encouraged the students to embrace creativity. The chief guest was dancer-activist Alokananda Roy. The fest began with Retro Magic, a Bollywood musical contest inspired by the eighties. Chhora-r-Jadu, a Bengali poem recitation contest celebrated the humour of Sukumar Ray and Tagore.
The debate competition, Point to Note, had 12 schools dissecting the motion — Democracy is the right to elect our own dictators. Step Up was a contemporary dance contest. RoboVision featured innovative projects that blended technology with creativity. The first day concluded with the fashion show.
Day II began with Taal Sangaam, a classical dance competition. The nukkad natak competition highlighted social themes. The host school were the winners. Principal Arun Kumar Dasgupta gave the trophy to first runner-up Hariyana Vidya Mandir.
"The fest teaches students learn real-life skills such as planning and managing finances," said the principal.
Up in the air
Nearly 200 students from National Gems Higher Secondary School had the opportunity to experience a drone show and learn about its operations at a workshop in August.
From learning how to assemble a drone to getting a practical experience flying it in the school auditorium, students had a whale of a time.
Teaching students of Class VIII and those from the Artificial Intelligence (AI) department of Classes IX to XI was a team of five from the organisation, Tinkerworks. The experts gave the students a brief idea about the components of a drone and its working mechanism.
A drone was flown in the presence of principal Jayasri Roy, educators and students. The instructor also taught the audience how to manoeuvre some simple drone movements such as dragging, flying it up to the knee level and levitating it in the air.
Five student volunteers from the AI department were selected to assemble a drone and make it fly in a challenge. The students were excited when their drones took off. The entire show was filmed with a camera drone.
"The students had a great time. They learnt and had fun simultaneously. The student-volunteers did a good job. Everybody wants a repeat show," said Keya Sinha, director, academics.